06/29/15   Three Die In Separate Auto Accidents Friday

Two fatal crashes were investigated by State Police on Friday, one in Pulaski County and one in Lee county. Friday afternoon, State Police report that 35 year old Jeremy Dycus of North Little Rock died when the driver of a 1997 Chevy Tahoe, headed north on I-530, steered toward the east shoulder of the road, rotated several times and struck the grass shoulder.  The vehicle overturned and all three occupants were ejected. Dycus, a passenger in the vehicle was the only one killed. The injured were taken to Baptist and St. Vincent's Hospitals for treatment.

On Friday night two Marianna residents, 25 year old Timothy W. Prentice and 44 year old Gerald Thompson died in a two vehicle crash that occurred on state highway 261, two miles west of state highway 121 in Lee County.  According to the state police report, a 2012 Jeep, was traveling east bound on state highway 261, and a 2006 Chevy truck driven by Prentice was west bound on state highway 261.  It's unknown which vehicle crossed the center line, the vehicles collided head-on.  The Jeep overturned and ejected Thompson.  The vehicle driven by Prentice left the roadway and caught fire, both Prentice and Thompson were pronounced dead at the scene by Lee County Coroner O.L. Hightower.

 Arkansas State Police are citing a 21 year old federal privacy law as the reason for withholding information from vehicle crash reports. Under the new policy, which began June 4^th, the only personal information available on crash reports are the names and hometowns of fatalities.  Other information, including the names of other drivers and passengers is withheld.